BIM use is rising, according to McGraw-Hill report

The demand for Building Information Modeling is rising among architects, engineers, contractors and owners, according to a report released Tuesday by McGraw-Hill Construction.

The Building Information Modeling SmartMarket Report says that more users of BIM will increase their investment in the technology in 2009 due to its effect on productivity, communication and competition with other firms. In 2008, 45 percent of BIM users said they are using the software at moderate levels or higher. The report says that in 2009, 62 percent of BIM users plan to use the software on over 30 percent of their projects and 45 percent of current users plan to use BIM more frequently on at least 60 percent of projects.

Firms also reported that tracking BIM value metrics are yielding returns of 300 to 500 percent on their investments, due to improved project outcomes, better communication and increased productivity. Most BIM users, 73 percent, are moderately involved in green building projects and find the software useful in analyzing the performance of energy efficiency elements and sustainable materials.

The full report can be downloaded at http://construction.ecnext.com/coms2/analytics.